tamarind rice recipe with step by step photos – popular south indian recipe of a tangy, sour & spiced rice. the recipe dish is also known as puliyodharai in tamil language.

sharing again one of those recipes, which i should have added long ago. tamarind rice is often made in south indian homes. there are many ways and variations of this recipe. two method through which we can make tamarind rice are :

the rice is first cooked and then mixed with tamarind sauce or pulikachal.

the second method is where the raw rice is cooked in the tamarind sauce.

i am sharing here the traditional method. usually the spiced tamarind sauce also known as ‘pulikachal‘ is made in medium or large quantities and then stored in the fridge. so when you want to make tamarind rice, you just heat a bit of sesame oil. add the pulikachal. add the cooked rice. mix well and your tamarind rice is ready. you can also mix the cooked rice with some turmeric powder and sesame oil and then mix with pulikachal.

the recipe i am sharing today is where i have prepared the pulikachal and the entire pulikachal is used in the rice. i already have pulikachal stored in the fridge, so thought of sharing the entire recipe. you can even make the pulikachal from this recipe and store in the fridge.

preparing tamarind rice takes a lot of time. so you can prepare the pulikachal and store in the fridge. whenever you want to prepare just cook rice. then mix rice with pulikachal.

in most south indian temples, tamarind rice is also served as prasadam.

usually i fry some vadagams with tamarind rice and serve. and at times serve with some curd. you can even have tamarind rice plain. since tamarind has a longer shelf life, tamarind rice also goes well for picnics or long journeys. it also make for nice tiffin box lunch.

puliyodharai or tamarind rice recipe card below:

tamarind rice recipe - popular south indian recipe of sour and spiced rice. this dish is also called as puliyodharai.

course: main

cuisine: south indian, tamilian

servings: 3to 4

author: dassana amit

ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)

for cooking rice:

1cupheaped sona masuri riceOR 230 grams rice OR 4 cups cooked rice

¼ to ⅓teaspoonsaltor add as required

2 to 2.5cupswater for cooking rice

¼teaspoonturmeric powder(haldi)

1tablespoonsesame oil(til ka tel)

spice powder:

4dry red chillies(sookhi lal mirch)

2teaspoonscoriander seeds(sabut dhania)

1teaspoonchana dal(split and husked bengal gram)

1teaspoonurad dal(split and husked black gram)

¼teaspoonfenugreek seeds(methi seeds)

¼teaspoonwhole black pepper(sabut kali mirch)

½teaspoonsesame seeds(safed til)

¼teaspoonasafoetida(hing)

tamarind pulp

50gramstamarindOR ⅓ cup tamarind - not tightly packed

2cupshot water for tamarind pulp

tempering and other ingredients:

3tablespoonssesame oil

1teaspoonmustard seeds(rai)

1teaspoonurad dal(split and husked black gram)

1teaspoonchana dal(split and husked bengal gram)

¼cuppeanuts(moongphali)

¼teaspoonturmeric powder(haldi)

a pinch of asafoedita(hing)

1sprig curry leavesOR 10 to 12 curry leaves (kadi patta)

2 to 3dry red chillies(sookhi lal mirch)

2teaspoonsjaggery powder

salt as required

how to make recipe

cooking rice:

rinse 1 heaped cup sona masuri (230 grams) very well in water. then add the rice in a pressure cooker. also add 1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon salt or add as required.

add 2.5 cups water. you can add water depending on the quality of rice. since i have not soaked the rice, i have added 2.5 cups water and also this rice takes a long time to cook as its hand pounded sona masuri rice. for a regular variety, you can add 2 cups water.

pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes or 3 to 4 whistles or till the rice is cooked well. do ensure that the rice does not get overcooked. for the hand pounded sona masuri rice, i pressure cooked for 14 minutes. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. fluff the rice.

remove the cooked rice in a large plate or tray or a large bowl and allow it cool.

then squeeze the soaked tamarind and extract the pulp. keep the bowl aside.

preparing puliyodharai masala or spice mix:

heat a pan and then reduce the flame to a low.

add all the whole spices mentioned under the list title 'spice powder' except asafoetida.

stirring often roast them on a low flame or sim.

roast till the urad dal and chana dal become light golden or golden. the entire mixture will become aromatic.

once the lentils have browned well, then switch off the flame and add 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida/hing.

mix very well and let the roasted spices cool.

then in a dry grinder or a spice grinder, add all the spices. break the red chilies and then add.

grind to a fine powder. keep aside.

preparing pulikachal:

heat 3 tablespoon sesame oil in a pan.

add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal

also add 1 teaspoon chana dal and 1/4 cup peanuts. if you want you can roast or fry the peanuts separately also and add in the rice towards the end.

saute on a low flame till the lentils turn golden. the peanuts will also get done by this time.

once the peanuts as well as the lentils turn golden, then add 2 to 3 dry red chillies, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi and 10 to 12 curry leaves. you can even switch off the flame if you want.

also add a pinch of asafoetida. mix well.

now strain the tamarind pulp and directly add in the tempering mixture. strain very well. you can even strain tamarind pulp before and keep aside. stir and mix everything.

add salt and 1 to 2 teaspoons of jaggery powder. you can add less or more of jaggery or skip it.

mix well and simmer the mixture on a low to medium flame.

bring this tamarind mixture to a boil and continue to cook.

cook till mixture has thickened a bit and you see oil floating on top.

then add the ground spice powder.

mix very well.

continue to simmer the pulikachal for some more minutes. do stir often.

cook till the mixture becomes thick like a thick tamarind sauce or chutney.

once this consistency is achieved, then switch off the flame. keep the pan down.

add the pulikachal to the rice.

gently mix very well.

after the mixing is done, you can serve right away or wait for some minutes for the flavors to infuse and then serve.

serve tamarind rice with fried vadagams or papads.

how to make puliyodharai or tamarind rice recipe:

a) cooking rice:

1. rinse 1 heaped cup sona masuri (230 grams) very well in water. then add the rice in a pressure cooker. also add ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt or add as required.

2. add 2.5 cups water. you can add water depending on the quality of rice. since i have not soaked the rice, i have added 2.5 cups water and also this rice takes a long time to cook, as its hand pounded sona masuri rice. for a regular variety, you can add 2 cups water.

3. pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes or for 3 to 4 whistles or till the rice is cooked well. do ensure that the rice does not get overcooked. for the hand pounded sona masuri rice, i pressure cooked rice for 14 minutes. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. fluff the rice.

4. remove the cooked rice in a large plate or tray or a large bowl and allow it cool.

3. then squeeze the soaked tamarind and extract the pulp. keep the bowl aside.

c) preparing puliyodharai masala or spice mix:

1. the following spices will be needed to make the masala.

2. heat a pan and reduce the flame to a low. add all the spices and stirring often roast them on a low flame or sim.

3. roast till the urad dal and chana dal become light golden or golden. the entire mixture will become aromatic.

4. once the lentils have browned well, then switch off the flame and add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida/hing.

5. mix very well and let the roasted spices cool.

6. then in a dry grinder or a spice grinder, add all the spices. break the red chilies and then add.

7. grind to a fine powder. keep aside.

c) preparing pulikachal:

1. heat 3 tablespoon sesame oil in a pan.

2. add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal.

3. also add 1 teaspoon chana dal and ¼ cup peanuts. basically add the mustard seeds, lentils and peanuts together. here i am showing in step wise parts. if you want you can roast or fry the peanuts separately also and add in the rice towards the end.

4. saute on a low flame till the lentils turn golden. the peanuts will also get done by this time.

5. saute till the peanuts and the lentils turn golden. do saute on a low flame or sim.

6. once the peanuts as well as the lentils turn golden, then add 2 to 3 dry red chillies, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi and 10 to 12 curry leaves. you can even switch off the flame if you want.

7. also add a pinch of asafoetida. mix well.

8. now strain the tamarind pulp and directly add in the tempering mixture. strain very well. you can even strain tamarind pulp before and keep aside.

9. stir and mix everything.

10. add salt.

11. add 1 to 2 teaspoons of jaggery powder. you can add less or more of jaggery or skip it.

12. mix well and simmer the mixture on a low to medium flame.

13. bring this tamarind mixture to a boil and continue to cook.

14. cook till mixture has thickened a bit and you see oil floating on top.

15. then add the ground spice powder.

16. mix very well.

17. continue to simmer the pulikachal for some more minutes. do stir often.

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I have never cooked before I got married but now I have to cook 🙂 and I guess I learned it from your website. Sometime I use to be in rush so I just choose any of the vegetarian dish from your website go at the bottom take glimpses of the recipe and do my cookings.

All the best wishes from my side and may success comes to you always 🙂

Another super recipe – followed it step by step and it came out awesome! I just have one suggestion – to add ginger in the tamarind pulp as i have seen many of my south indian friends do so….it definitely enhances the taste. Keep up the good work and thanks for a being a perfect cooking guide!